A couple weekends later, Hobi and you were finally on your way to Namsan Mountain as he had planned for your 100 day anniversary.

He had brought a picnic basket and a blanket so you could have dinner at your hidden spot. It was nice and off-limits and it held a special meaning to both of you.

It had always been your safe place and it was where you had said 'I love you' to each other for the first time. Plus being away from the path, no one expected you to be there so it was truly a private zone.

"I was afraid it was all going to end, I'm so grateful that I get to be here with you tonight" he commented sincerely since it was here where you'd talked about your fears.

"Aw, baby. I'm so sorry" you said feeling your heart ache and squeezed his hand which was resting on your lap.

You laid your head back and against his shoulder to look up at him and he leaned in to peck you. He looked sad, but a soft smile grazed his lips.

After making yourselves comfortable and eating various street foods reminiscent of your first date, you had put everything away and you sat in between your boyfriend's legs.

Hoseok had propped his legs up on either side of you and wrapped you in his arms to protect you from the cool breeze that blowed high up here.

"It was not your fault, I jumped to conclusions and I was so scared of losing you that I couldn't think straight. I couldn't help it,"

"I know, I was worried about explaining it through a video call because of how upsetting the topic is to you,"

"Sounds like a me problem, I trust you, but when I saw that picture I doubted everything. I'm sorry," his blood boiled just thinking about it.

Why would someone put that out there? Was it supposed to help by alerting him? Was it purely malicious? It was probably just for entertainment, for five minutes of fame until people moved on to the next meaningless rumor.

They never thought about how they were human beings who also deserved their privacy, that had feelings that could be hurt and relationships that could be damaged.

No matter what they did, there always seemed to be someone. Like when he attended his sister's wedding a few years back and they wanted to keep it private. But that didn't work out even when all the guests were relatively close.

Photographs and videos still surfaced and he felt bad that it was all because he was there. Jiwoo had assured him it was not a big deal, but he felt like she was just saying that to comfort him because it was done.

It was her special day, yet people approached him here and there when he was not supposed to be the center of attention. He should be used to it by now, but when it took away from others, it didn't feel right.

Their personal moments seemed private until they realized they weren't. Their families and friends were inevitably affected one way or another by their presence wherever they went. Unless they got lucky and no one spotted them.

Even when they weren't there, they were always someone else's father, mother, sister. They were defined by him instead of being recognized as their own people. It was a lot of responsibility.

"It's okay, baby, I get it. We'll get through this,"

"Thank you. I know it's only been four months, but you mean so much to me. You've changed my life for the better and I want you to stay in it," he felt nervous about saying something like this. However, after what you went through, he needed to tell you.

"I love you, Hobi, so much. I thought it was me that just wasn't fit for a relationship, that all I could do was hurt people because of the life I chose.

Then you came along and put up with all my things and were nothing but caring, loving and understanding.

Turns out I didn't know what it truly was like to be loved."

"I love you too, aein" he whispered in your ear tightening his hold on you with a little squeeze.

"I wanted you to know that no matter what anyone says, not even my parents, I won't leave you. They'll have to understand, I hope they will. But I'll be by your side either way, I promise,"

Hoseok's words meant more than he imagined. Your family had abandoned you for who you were, your first girlfriend had ditched you for her family, your father had chosen to listen to your family over you.

You never meant enough to anyone, no one loved you unconditionally like Hobi did. The fact that he'd stick around with or without his family's approval when they were so important to him spoke volumes.

"And I want you to know you are far from replaceable, Hobi. There's no one out there like you and there's no one better than you. You are the best boyfriend ever and I feel sorry for all those people that didn't know how to appreciate you.

Though in a sense, it's better for me because if they'd seen it, I wouldn't have had a chance to be with you. So maybe I should be thankful they were that blind until we could meet,"

Hoseok laughed at your last few words, they were so silly, but he felt at peace hearing your comforting words. Knowing things were going okay and he wasn't just hoping. Knowing he was special to you, that you valued him the way he deserved.

"This last year with you has been the best I've had in a while, aein. I needed you to come into my life" he murmured.

It was just you two overlooking the skyline of Seoul in silence. Watching the sun set quietly and the stars slowly pop up in the darkness. You were at peace in each other's company.

No longer sitting alone and contemplating whether there was someone out there that would make you feel free even when held in a tight embrace.

It was starting to get colder now that it was night and he opened his coat and wrapped it around you*. You were in your own little cocoon, his chin laying on your shoulder, head leaning on yours.

"Should we get going?" he suggested after a while and you got up and picked everything up to go back to the path.

You went to turn left to head back down to his car, but he took your hand and pulled you to the right.

"Not home, this way" you looked at him confused but followed him further up.

You found yourselves on the bridge of Namsan Tower. Hobi and you walked hand in hand as he looked around for the perfect spot, the most visible he could find.

He turned on his phone's camera to document this moment and focused on your clueless face with a wide amused smile. You looked adorable

"I was planning to do this for our anniversary right after dinner at your spot,"

"It can be our spot, I can share with you" you offered and he giggled. You wouldn't say that to anyone, he was sure.

Hobi smiled thinking about his safe zone, it wasn't necessarily a place, like yours. It was you. Wherever he was, if you were there with him, he felt at ease.

It had taken him years, he didn't even think there was one for him by now, but he was glad he'd finally found it in you.

"I got us this, it was already engraved for 100 days with our initials" Hobi had taken a heart shaped padlock out of his coat's pocket. He had painted it himself with various nail polishes*².

It was colorful, but still not flashy enough to not blend in with the thousands of locks crammed on the railings all around.

"A lovelock??" your jaw dropped as you took it from his hands, "but you said it was a corny idea. You even laughed at me!"

"I said I'd do it for you because I care about you. What I really meant to say was that I love you, but I chickened out.

And while it's not going to stand out that much, I wanted to put it in the most visible place I could find so I can show off."

"Aw, look at you being all corny" you teased him grinning and nudged him with your elbow.

"I think it's cute that you want to do it" he commented as he opened it and hung it where he wanted it. Then you locked it in place making eye contact with him as you did.

"So you do think it's cute that I think it's cute. It still means you think it is even if indirectly" you kept smiling the biggest smile he had ever seen and he was so pleased with himself.

"I guess being in love makes me a little cheesy" he said with a side-smile and a little shrug feeling his face flush.

"I think you are the cutest when you do aegyo for me" you commented wrapping an arm around his and looking in his eyes overjoyed as you walked back down the path.

"I think you are the cutest, which makes this talk even cornier. You! No, you!" he commented in a squeaky voice and then laughed at himself.

"Thank you for doing this for me, Hobi" you laid your head against his shoulder and wrapped your other arm around his to hug it.

Hoseok turned his head to the side to kiss yours with a soft smile. You could be the softest and most badass woman all in one.

"I'd do anything for you, aein" he murmured sincerely.

"Would you hold my snake?" you asked hopefully and he snorted.

"Maybe not everything,"

"Why do you hate her?" you said trying to make the most exaggerated pout making him laugh.

"I don't hate her. I tolerate her. As long as she stays at a safe distance from me, we are good,"

"What if my life depended on it?"

"What are you talking about?" he asked laughing at the silly question.

"Would you hold her then?"

"If I had no choice, I guess I would," he didn't know where your random question had come from, but it was so amusing.

It reminded him of a trend*³ from years ago, with girlfriends asking their boyfriends the most ridiculous questions.

"Okay, that's good enough for now."

"For now?" he questioned feeling scared of your intentions.

"What if I did a nude photoshoot with a boa constrictor like some celebrities do?"

"Do we really have to talk about this in public?" he whispered harshly as he noticed a man staring at you judgingly.

You turned to the curious passer-by and waved at him. He immediately turned around and walked ahead hurriedly, minding his own business as he should.

"Yah! What are you doing?!" Hobi hissed embarrassed by your attitude.

"I bet he's seen some of those pictures. He'd be into it, you are the weirdo here, baby."

"You are unbelievable, aein. Can't take you out in public" he said shaking his head.

"Come on, it's artistic photography we are talking about! Not my problem people can't handle talk about models posing naked."

He simply laughed heartily, you really didn't care and he was so into that at least.

-

* https://twitter.com/jhopians/status/1348895913700331522?t=YO5MRolDC0g-LIojTkSe4A&s=19

*² https://twitter.com/tanjoorines/status/1271863575607476226?t=UCLxDVLA4B4_-wdSwfcCwA&s=19

*³ https://thetab.com/uk/2020/04/20/would-you-still-love-me-if-i-was-a-worm-152834